Endocrine II: Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Pancreas

Question 1

What provides blood supply to the thyroid?

Answer 1

Superior and inferior laryngeal arteries

Question 2

True or false: You cannot live without either your thyroid or parathyroid hormones

Answer 2

False- you can live without thyroid hormones, but not parathyroid hormones

Question 3

What is the functional structure of the thyroid?

Answer 3

Thyroid follicles

Question 4

What are the pink globs seen in thyroid tissue?

Answer 4

Colloid- T3 and T4 stored as thyroglobulin

Question 5

What cells act as the gatekeepers of colloid storage?

Answer 5

Follicular (Principal) cells

Question 6

What are the two cell types within the thyroid?

Answer 6

Principal cells and parafollicular cells

Question 7

What cells make up the follicular epithelium and line follicles?

Answer 7

Follicular (Principal) cells

Question 8

What type of capillaries surround a thyroid follicle?

Answer 8

Fenestrated

Question 9

What is the function of thyroid follicular cells?

Answer 9

Synthesis, storage, and release of thyroid hormones

Question 10

Where are parafollicular cells found within the thyroid? What do they look like?

Answer 10

Large, lightly staining cells between the plasma membrane and basal lamina of the follicular cells

Question 11

What is the principal hormone release by parafollicular cells?

Answer 11

Calcitonin

Question 12

What creates the little white “scalloped” appearance within thyroid follicles? What is the appearance of follicular cells surrounding the scalloped colloid?

Answer 12

Occurs when the follicle is actively taking up colloid; large/swollen

Question 13

Which thyroid hormone is more prevalent in the bloodstream? What thyroid hormone is more active?

Answer 13

T4 is more prevalent and T3 is more active

Question 14

What cell types can be found within the parathyroid? What is the predominant cell type?

Answer 14

Principal “chief” cells and oxyphil cells; chief cells predominate

Question 15

Which cells of the parathyroid contain secretory granules? Which cells are larger?

Answer 15

Chief cells; oxyphil

Question 16

What is the function of chief cells?

Answer 16

Synthesis of parathyroid hormone that increases serum calcium

Question 17

True or False: Parathyroids are not under neuroendocrine regulation

Answer 17

True

Question 18

What kind of gland is the pancreas?

Answer 18

Both endocrine and exocrine

Question 19

How do the islets of Langerhans appear relative to the surrounding pancreas tissue?

Answer 19

Eosinophilic

Question 20

What is the name of the exocrine cells of the pancreas?

Answer 20

Pancreatic acinar cells

Question 21

What is the most numerous cell within the islets of langerhans?

Answer 21

Beta cells

Question 22

Where within the islets of Langerhan are beta cells typically located?

Answer 22

In the middle

Question 23

How do the granules of alpha, beta, and delta cells appear?

Answer 23

Alpha granules are fairly solid with a dark core and lighter halo; beta granules have crystalloid inclusions surrounded by translucent zone; delta cells light and uniform

Question 24

What are the primary products of the cells within the islets of Langerhans?

Answer 24

Alpha- Glucagon; Beta- Insulin; Delta- Somatostatin

Question 25

How is blood supplied to the islets of Langerhans?

Answer 25

Islets get their own vascular supply via the insuloacinar portal system